Microcomputers for Behavioral Health Education

Summary

Eleven lessons in written and computer formats have been developed to promote selfefficacy and to teach three coping skills: problem solving, social networking, and communication: The lessons are being evaluated by sixty four parents of children with cystic fibrosis. The overall goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of written lessons, computer lessons and generic mental health materials.

This paper describes the lesson series and the evaluation of the fourth and fifth lessons. Preliminary results indicate the computer lessons are as or more acceptable than written lessons or generic health education brochures. Lessons, unlike brochures, are rated increasingly more favorably as more are completed. Parents completing lessons four (p > 0.001) and five (p = 0.015) in computer form rate themselves as learning significantly more than those completing the corresponding written lessons and brochures.

Computer-assisted instruction emphasizing the active acquisition of coping skills and promoting self-efficacy is well received by parents of children with cystic fibrosis and can be rated more highly than written lessons or generic mental health brochures.

Key Words:

• Cystic fibrosis
• health education
• chronic illness
• computer-assisted instruction